Common Enemy
by YinYangWriter
Summary: Sequel to Common Friend. There's a new group that hates gargoyles and it's going to take more than just the Clan to stop them.
1. Chapter 1

**A few of you who keep up with me are probably wondering why I'm posting a new story. I have said in the past that I wanted to get all my old projects done before I start anything new, but here I am putting something new out while I have two other projects going. Hear me out. Eight years ago I posted a story co-authored with Shadowchild28. We had discussed making a sequel, but nothing really ever came of it. Until now. I had part of this written back when we were talking about it and it has been hidden in my projects folder for years. And then over the summer, I was trying to find another file and found it again and thought maybe I should finish this. So you can say this is part of an old project that is being finished. I do not own **_**Gargoyles**_** and original characters are mine and Shadowchild28's. Please leave a review at the end. Also feel free to go over to my profile to find updates of what plans I have in store for the future, news on current projects, brief summaries on series I have written, and a list of stories from other authors that you may find as enjoyable as I have.**

* * *

Elisa sat at her desk going over the arrest report she needed to turn in. She shook her head. There was another gargoyle hate group in addition to the Quarrymen. Humans Against Gargoyles or HAG had just started a chapter in Manhattan. The only good news in all that was that HAG was a bit tamer about how openly they hated gargoyles. There weren't very many who went as far as vandalism. They were more like concerned citizens who wanted their children safe and wanted to be able to walk the streets at night without being attacked.

Elisa snorted at that. This was New York. If the gargoyles weren't there, the crime rate would be much higher. Even the mayor could not argue with that. But still, they were a bit of a pain.

Elisa looked up at the clock. Her shift would soon end and she could go see the gargoyles. She had had a trying day. The rookie had made a major error in booking a perp and it was Elisa who had to sort out the mess, all the while with rookie insisting that he hadn't made an error. It wasn't until Elisa shoved the paperwork under his nose that he somewhat admitted he messed up. The HAG member she had arrested for disturbing the peace called her a monster lover and spat in her face. Her mother had called and told her to talk some sense into Derek and tell him to come over for Sunday dinner and when Elisa called her brother he was a bit short of temper, but that probably had to do with Fang making smart remarks about something. Anyway, Derek snapped at her and when Elisa called her mother back, she snapped at her. Now Elisa felt bad for that. On top of that, Matt wasn't there to help her. He had taken the day off to get some personal stuff done, whatever that was.

After a stop at a coffee shop, Elisa went to the castle with a hot cup of coffee in her hand. Almost as soon as she got off the elevator, the cup was knocked out of her hand and it spilled all over the floor. Elisa had to bite her lower lip to keep from snapping at little Alex, who had been the one to knock the cup out of her hand.

"Sowwy," Alex said in a small voice as he floated over and retrieved his ball.

"It's okay," Elisa said, forcing a smile.

"Oh dear, Alex," said Puck, zooming into the hallway. "What a mess you've made." The white-haired Fey turned to Elisa. "Would you like me to get another?"

"No," Elisa said with a sigh. "It's fine."

"Okay, Alex, let's try the cleanup spell," said Puck.

Alex nodded.

Elisa walked away and went up to the parapets before the gargoyles went out on patrol. She could hear the trio and Angela in the kitchen getting their breakfast. Farther down the hall, she could hear Hudson's laughter.

Elisa went outside and found Goliath standing on the highest tower. She went up the stairs.

"Hey, big guy," she said quietly.

Goliath turned and smiled. "Elisa." His smile faded some. "What is it?"

"Long day," muttered Elisa, pushing some of her hair back. "I need to tell you something before you guys go on patrol."

Elisa explained HAG to Goliath.

The large gargoyle let out a heavy sigh. "More fear filled hate."

"I know," Elisa said in a quiet voice.

Goliath ran his talons through her hair. "Elisa, humans fear what they do not understand. But for every group that seeks to destroy us, there is another willing to protect and defend us."

Elisa looked up at him. He was right, but it was usually her that comforted him with those words. She nodded.

"Let's tell the others so they are aware of it," said Goliath, scooping her up and spreading his wings.

Elisa snuggled into his arms and prepared for the short flight to the courtyard.

* * *

After Elisa's announcement to the other gargoyles about the new hate group, they set out on patrol. Angela and Broadway went together and Brooklyn and Lexington were partners. Goliath would go out with Elisa once she had something to eat and got a little sleep.

"I don't understand," said Lexington as he and Brooklyn glided. "After all the good we've done, why don't the humans understand that we mean no harm to them?"

"Your guess is as good as mine," said Brooklyn. "We might as well be wild animals the way they look at us and treat us. It's like a thousand years ago, remember? At least, not all of them are like that. Look at Elisa and Matt. Elisa accepted us right from the beginning and Matt went along with things once he met us. And think about everyone else we've met."

"You're right," said Lexington. "Some people just help us out of the goodness of their hearts when they barely know anything about us. Remember Jaclyn and Spencer? Jaclyn helped Broadway without really thinking about it. Spencer, too."

Brooklyn smiled and looked down. "Looks like we have to work tonight," he said, pointing to an alley.

There was a woman being mugged by a group of men.

Brooklyn and Lexington swooped down and made short work of the men.

"That was easy," Lexington commented once the men were all down.

Brooklyn turned to the frightened woman. "Are you okay?" he asked.

The woman nodded. "Yes, I'm fine." She reached into her purse and pulled out a can of pepper spray and sprayed it directly into Brooklyn's eyes.

"Brooklyn!" yelled Lexington when he heard his rookery brother scream in pain.

The small gargoyle was struck from behind, sending his radio headset sliding across the alley. He whipped around and saw the men who had been attacking the woman had gotten up and there were more with them. The woman now had a syringe in her hand and was stalking over to Brooklyn to inject him. It was a trap!

Lexington tried to get to Brooklyn before the woman could inject him, but was blocked by the men. He watched the woman stick the syringe into Brooklyn's shoulder and the red gargoyle went limp. There was nothing Lexington could do. There were too many humans to do anything without possibly fatally injuring them and he didn't know what other tricks they had up their sleeves. He couldn't call for backup because his radio was laying somewhere in the shadows. As much as Lexington hated the idea, he fled.

Lexington searched for Broadway and Angela, but they were on the other side of the island. He noticed that his arm had started to throb and there was a trickle of blood oozing from a cut he sustained. He needed to get help and the closest place to do so belonged to their new friends.

Lexington landed on the fire escape of an apartment building. He tapped on the glass several times. The curtains parted to reveal a young man with brown hair and brown eyes.

"Lexington?"

"Spencer, let me in," said Lexington.

Spencer Terry opened the window and Lexington hopped into the living room.

"What happened to you?" Spencer asked, running for his first aid kit. Spencer was a male nurse who worked at a nearby hospital. He was one of the two humans who saved Broadway not too long ago.

"It was a trap," said Lexington. "They knocked out Brooklyn. I think they took him away."

"What exactly happened?" asked Spencer, coming back with his kit.

As Spencer attended to Lexington's injuries, Lexington explained everything that happened that night from the time Elisa told them about the new hate group to the ambush.

"Have you told the others yet?" asked Spencer, reaching for the cordless phone.

"No," Lexington replied. "You're the first to know."

Spencer handed the phone to Lexington. "You better call them."

A few minutes later, Lexington handed the phone back to Spencer to put on the cradle.

"Where's Jaclyn?" asked Lexington. "I thought she would be here."

"Jaclyn is in Pennsylvania," Spencer told him. "Work for her is hard to find here. She got a temporary job in Pennsylvania and is living with her parents down there."

"But it's temporary," said Lexington.

"Maybe," said Spencer. "If it becomes permanent, I'm going to move down there with her and we're going to get a house there."

"You're leaving New York?" asked Lexington. "No, we just met you!"

"Calm down," said Spencer. "Nothing's written in stone yet. We'll find out in a few weeks."

It was quiet for a moment.

"Maybe it's a good thing that she's not here," said Spencer.

"Why do you say that?" asked Lexington.

"Remember what she did when she found out who shot Broadway?" asked Spencer. "If she was here, she would be out looking for Brooklyn, putting herself at risk."

Lexington immediately agreed. "At least she's safe."

* * *

Brooklyn woke up with his eyes burning. He couldn't open them. There was the sound of horses snorting and the smell of urine, feces, and death. Brooklyn felt around and could feel straw and concrete under him.

"So what do we do with him?" he heard someone ask.

"I already called the Quarrymen," said a second voice. "They'll be here soon to get this plan in motion."

Brooklyn knew he was in trouble now. He couldn't see and with the way he was feeling at the moment, he knew he wouldn't be able to fight them off.

Managing to stand the pain and get one eye open, Brooklyn began to crawl around his cell. It was a horse stall. By the sounds and smells, he would guess there were a lot of horses here.

His stall door suddenly opened.

"Brooklyn?"


	2. Chapter 2

**Yes, a new chapter already. Usually it's weeks before you see a new chapter from me. Don't get used to it. This story is already completed and it's just a matter of me remembering to post the chapters. I'm actually rearranging my story schedule on what's being worked on next. It's not going to affect this story, but if you're fans of _Quote the Pauper Forevermore_ or _Harriet Potter and the Four Witches_, you may want to go over to my profile and check out my news section to see the scheduling changes. And that's all I have to say for now. Please read, enjoy, and possibly leave a review.**

* * *

"Brooklyn?" whispered a vaguely familiar female voice.

Brooklyn looked up. "Jaclyn? Is that you? I can't see."

Jaclyn Willows came into the stall and knelt beside him. "What did they do to you?"

"You have to get out of here," said Brooklyn. "If they find out you're helping me, or friends with gargoyles, they'll hurt you."

"I know," said Jaclyn. "But I need to get you out of here first."

Jaclyn pulled the red scarf from around her neck off and tied her dark hair back with it. She put Brooklyn's arm around her shoulders and help him to his feet.

"My truck is parked outside," she told him.

Once outside, Brooklyn said, "This isn't Manhattan. It's too quiet. Smells much better, too."

Jaclyn let out a small laugh. "Welcome to New Holland, Pennsylvania. This is the auction barn."

"Long way from Manhattan just to turn me over to the Quarrymen and kill me," Brooklyn said darkly.

Jaclyn helped Brooklyn into her truck and got into the driver's seat.

"How did I get here?" asked Brooklyn.

"About an hour ago, I hear a helicopter land out back," said Jaclyn. She drove out of the auction barn's parking lot and got onto a road out of town. "I thought it was odd hearing one at this time of the night that wasn't Life Lion. You must have been on it because I heard them talking about a gargoyle. I had to wait until they left you alone long enough to see for myself. Are you okay?"

"No. My eyes burn."

"Pepper spray?"

"Yeah." Brooklyn rubbed at his eyes.

"I thought I could smell it. Don't rub!" Jaclyn scolded gently. "You'll make it worse."

"Then what should I do?" Brooklyn snapped.

Jaclyn reached over in the glove box and pulled out a pack of wipes. "Use these. They'll help."

"What are they?" asked Brooklyn, taking the wipes out of the packet.

"Those wipes remove the oils in pepper spray, the stuff that causes the burning," Jaclyn answered. "Spencer gave me some pepper spray and some of these in case I ever sprayed myself. Said since I lived in New York, I would need it."

"How thoughtful of him," said Brooklyn, rubbing around his eyes with the wipes. He had to admit that the burning had started to subside.

"It's the thought that counts," said Jaclyn. "I like Uncle Tony's gift more."

"I keep forgetting Dracon's your uncle."

Jaclyn shrugged. "To each his own, but at least he won't be coming after you now."

"Thanks for that," said Brooklyn. "So what did he get you?"

"A 9mm that is a work of art," said Jaclyn. "Tony has expensive tastes." She wiggled her left wrist to show off her gold and diamond charm bracelet. "I have it under my seat."

"Well, at least I don't have to worry about you not being able to protect yourself." Brooklyn wasn't exactly thrilled with the idea of Jaclyn having a gun, but considering his condition, it was a good thing. Hopefully she knew how to shoot.

"I do to," said Jaclyn.

Brooklyn started, not realizing he had spoken his thoughts out loud.

"Do you really think Uncle Tony would just hand me a gun over to me without showing me how shoot? I went to a firing range with him. Apparently I'm a very good shot." She giggled. "It helps when you have practice shooting a BB gun."

Brooklyn looked out the window. "Where are we going?"

"The sun doesn't come up for a few hours," said Jaclyn. "I'm going to try to get you back to Manhattan before then."

Brooklyn looked at the speedometer. Jaclyn had the truck floored. They were doing over eighty on the road they were on.

"Uh, Jaclyn? Don't you think you should slow down?" he asked.

"There's no one out here at this time of night," said Jaclyn. "I know these roads. I know where the speed traps are. Besides, it's too late in the night to do any speed traps out here. As for deer, I'm keeping an eye out for movement."

There was a few minutes of silence. Jaclyn continued to drive with the gas pedal practically glue to the floor. Brooklyn kept wiping his eyes with the wipes. At least he could see a bit better now, but his nose was runny.

"Do you have any tissues?" he asked.

"There should be some in the glove box," said Jaclyn.

Brooklyn fished the tissues out of the glove box and wiped his nose. "So what are you doing in Pennsylvania?"

Jaclyn sighed. "I should have known that question was coming. But at least I can tell you without having to worry about getting in trouble."

Now Brooklyn was intrigued.

"A few weeks ago, I was approached by an FBI agent," said Jaclyn.

"FBI?" Brooklyn repeated. "Does this have anything to do with Dracon?"

"No," she answered. "It has to do with you, the gargoyles."

"What's going on? Why is the FBI interested in us?"

"It's because of the hate groups," said Jaclyn. "The most recent of those is called HAG - Humans Against Gargoyles."

"Elisa told us about them tonight," said Brooklyn. "She said they're harmless. Just a bunch of concerned citizens. They set up a chapter in Manhattan."

"They're not all harmless," Jaclyn said with a low growl to her voice. "Who do you think kidnapped you?"

"That was them?"

Jaclyn nodded. "These guys don't play around."

"How bad are they?"

"They're the reason I have a gun under my seat," she replied.

"And this FBI agent told you to do this?" asked Brooklyn.

"I chose to do this," said Jaclyn. "He asked, I said yes. I did it for you. You're my friends. I can't stand seeing people hurt. Especially my friends."

"So what now?" Brooklyn asked.

"I'm going to get us back to Manhattan first. When we get closer, I'll make a call to my FBI contact."

"If he's FBI, maybe he can pass a message on to Matt," Brooklyn said. "He could tell the others that I'm okay."

"That's a great idea," said Jaclyn. "It saves me a phone call."

Brooklyn had a thought. "What about whoever you're staying with here?"

"My parents know that I'm up to something," said Jaclyn. "I didn't tell them it was with the FBI, but I'm sure my mother would gladly turn Dracon in in a heartbeat if she knew. All they know is if I don't call them by tomorrow morning at ten, they are to call my FBI contact."

"Who is your FBI contact?" asked Brooklyn.

Jaclyn smiled grimly. "You're going to find out." She looked over at Brooklyn. "You should try to rest. How do your eyes feel?"

"Better." He closed his eyes. "Resting sounds like a good idea." Brooklyn leaned back in his seat.

"I'll wake you up before the sun comes up or when we get to Manhattan," said Jaclyn.

A few minutes later, Jaclyn heard faint snoring and glanced over at Brooklyn. He was asleep. She smiled. Jaclyn looked at the clock. They probably weren't going to make it to Manhattan before sunrise, but she was determined to get as close as she could before then.

Three hours later, Jaclyn was using a payphone, keeping a close eye on her truck that was parked in front of a gas station. Brooklyn was sleeping in stone in the bed of her truck, a tarp securely tied over him to keep him from view.

"I'm fine," Jaclyn said to the person on the other end. "And the gargoyle's fine, too."

"Good work, Jaclyn," said a gruff male voice. "I wasn't expecting this to happen, but you did good."

"Thanks, Frank," said Jaclyn. "I need you to pass on a message for me."

"I can do that," said Frank.

"It's to a Detective Matt Bluestone. I'm told he used to be FBI."

"Bluestone? I haven't seen him in years," said Frank.

"You know him?"

"You bet I do," said Frank. "Good kid. A bit obsessive about the Illuminati. It was a pity when they booted him out for it. What do you want me to tell him?"

"Tell him Brooklyn is safe and I'll meet him at the Eyrie."

Frank grunted. "An odd message."

"He'll know what it means," said Jaclyn. "I don't dare call him myself."

"No, don't do that," said Frank. "We don't know where these HAG members are lurking."

"Something tells me they're going to know I'm up to something," said Jaclyn.

"You get to Manhattan," said Frank. "I'll call your parents and let them know you're okay. You still have connections in Manhattan, right? You better lay low for a little while."

"My uncle can help me," said Jaclyn. "And I have a few friends in high places."

"I'll see you soon," said Frank.

Jaclyn hung up the phone and made her way back to her truck. She got in and sat at the wheel. She noticed her hands were shaking. Jaclyn took a deep breath.

"Keep it together," she told herself. "You don't have far to go."


	3. Chapter 3

A man in his fifties with dark hair and green eyes was leaning against a car parked in front of the 23rd precinct. He was dressed in a suit and a trench coat and was chewing on a toothpick. He was waiting for someone.

The man did not have to wait long before a certain redheaded detective came out with his raven-haired partner.

Matt Bluestone did a double take. "Frank?"

"Hello, Bluestone," said the man, walking over to them. "It's been a while."

"It's great to see you again," said Matt with a smile. "This is Elisa Maza, my partner. Elisa, this is Frank Lees. I knew him when I was FBI."

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Elisa," said Frank.

"Likewise," said Elisa, shaking his hand.

"What brings you to New York?" asked Matt. "It's not like you to take a vacation."

"If I was on vacation I would be on some boat in a lake with my fishing gear." He glanced warily at Elisa. "I'm working a case."

"Is there anything we can do to help?" asked Elisa.

"I'm not sure if I can tell you," said Frank, still eying Elisa as if she was a rat.

"Anything you have to say, you can say it in front of Elisa," said Matt. "We don't have secrets."

Frank grunted in response. "I'm working a case concerning the HAG."

"HAG?" repeated Matt. "I thought they were relatively harmless."

"Far from it," said Frank. "I've been keeping tabs on them. Some of them are peaceful, but there's a radical group out there who's trying to destroy gargoyles and they don't care who gets in their way. They captured a gargoyle last night."

Matt and Elisa exchanged worried glances, but played them off as disbelief.

"You don't think I'm serious?" asked Frank. "I'm telling you, Bluestone, I am not making this up. Remember they thought you were crazy for going after the Illuminati."

"Okay, okay," said Matt. "There's no need to get defensive, Frank."

Frank grunted again. "My informant told me to pass a message on to you, Bluestone."

"Your informant?" asked Elisa.

"What's the message?" asked Matt.

"Brooklyn is safe and that she'll meet you at the Eyrie," Frank repeated.

Elisa and Matt's eyes widened.

"What?" asked Matt.

"I did ask for clarification," said Frank. "She made it sound like you'd know what she meant."

"Who is your informant?" asked Matt.

"You know I can't tell you that," said Frank. "But you know her. Jaclyn Willows."

"What?" both detectives cried.

Elisa turned to Matt. "We have to tell the guys."

"You can't tell anyone," said Frank. "No one can know. She's in deep. Might have blown her cover after last night. All I know is she's on her way here. She called me a few hours ago. There are only a handful of people who know and they're all in the bureau. No one else can know."

"We'll keep it quiet," said Matt.

"Thanks, Bluestone," said Frank. "I'll keep in touch." He walked back to his car and drove off.

"We're not going to keep this from the gargoyles," Matt told Elisa as they watched Frank drive away.

"Not a chance," Elisa agreed. "Jaclyn is probably already in the city now. We better tell Xanatos she's on her way with Brooklyn."

* * *

Jaclyn was sitting in gridlock. She had tried to make it to the Eyrie Building before morning traffic got bad, but failed. Now she was in traffic and barely moved a block in the last twenty minutes.

"I hate city traffic," she muttered impatiently, tapping her fingers on the steering wheel.

Normally she wouldn't be this agitated, but she had a sleeping gargoyle in the bed of her truck under a tarp while n the turn from a group of gargoyle hating radicals who had members of their organization in the city. Jaclyn thought she stuck out like a sore thumb in her mud splattered red pickup. On the seat next to her was the can of pepper spray hidden under a spare flannel shirt.

Another thing she had, but hadn't told Brooklyn about, was a cassette tape recording. It was sitting in the glove compartment. Jaclyn was grateful that Brooklyn hadn't noticed it while looking for the tissues. She really hadn't wanted to explain what was on it to him.

What was on it was a conversation between a high ranking HAG member and a Quarryman talking about staging a gargoyle on human attack. The goal was to cause panic and further their agenda.

At last Jaclyn reached the Eyrie Building. She pulled up to the entrance and talked to the guard.

"I've got a delivery for Xanatos," Jaclyn said.

The guard looked at his clipboard. "I don't see any deliveries today. What was your name again?"

"Willows, Jaclyn."

"I don't see you on here."

"Look, bud, I've been driving all night. I want to get some food and some sleep. I can't do that until this is dropped off. So can you do us both a favor and call Xanatos and tell him I have his gargoyle that he's looking for and then I'm out of your hair. Capiche?"

Whether it was Jaclyn's attitude or her miserable expression, the guard did what he was told. She leaned back in her seat as the guard talked to whoever was on the phone, Jaclyn assumed it was Xanatos. She was startled when the guard came back and put his hand on the door.

"Sorry about that, Ms. Willows. Apparently Mr. Xanatos is expecting you. Pull on through."

"Thanks," said Jaclyn. She put her window up the drove into the lot.

Jaclyn found a parking space and pulled in, shutting off the engine. She looked through the rear windshield at the tarp covered Brooklyn.

"We made it," she said quietly.

A knock on her window made her jump. Standing next to her truck was Detective Maza.

"Elisa!" Jaclyn cried, opening the door.

"Are you all right?" Elisa asked.

"I'm fine," replied Jaclyn. "Brooklyn's okay, too." She reached back and pulled the tarp off to reveal Brooklyn in stone curled up.

Elisa let out a sigh of relief. "Thank you for finding him."

"He got really lucky," Jaclyn said with a small laugh.

"Come on. You need to fill us in," said Elisa.

Elisa led the way into the Eyrie Building. Waiting for them were Matt and Xanatos. Jaclyn was a little surprised to see Xanatos waiting for them since she knew he was a very busy man.

"Ms. Willows," Xanatos greeted, approaching her to shake her hand. "It is a pleasure to meet you. Thank you for bringing our clan member home."

Jaclyn shook his hand and gave a nod.

"Let's take this up to my office," Xanatos said. "I'll have Owen bring up some refreshments."

The mention of food made Jaclyn like Xanatos.

Once they were in Xanatos's office and coffee and refreshments were served, Jaclyn began telling them what was going on.

"A few weeks ago I was approached by an FBI agent by the name of Frank Lees," Jaclyn explained. "Originally he had been investigating a politician taking bribes from HAG to pass what basically would be anti-gargoyle legislation. However, they couldn't even create it without cause and the rumor was they were going to catch a gargoyle to prove how dangerous they were."

"So he went to you?" Elisa asked.

Jaclyn nodded. "Frank learned HAG planned to keep the captured gargoyle at the auction house, but that's all he could find out. While he was trying to find someone who would roll on HAG, he found one of my old classmates who gave him my name. From there it was a matter of me getting a job at the auction house. That was the easy part. They needed someone with veterinary experience and easy to manipulate. I'm young, innocent, and in debt from veterinary school. And since the HAG members didn't want to draw attention to themselves, I had to work around the animals and the other employees. It made snooping around easier since I was new and had the excuse that I didn't know where things were."

"So how did you get information to Frank?" asked Matt.

"Most of it was done over the phone, but if I had to pass him something physically, we had a meeting place at a local fast food joint. But this time was different. I heard the auction house manager in his office last night talking with a Quarryman. They were planning to stage a gargoyle on human attack and they were going to use Brooklyn to do so. I managed to record their conversation, but I couldn't leave Brooklyn behind."

"So you blew your cover," said Matt.

"More or less," said Jaclyn. "The people at the auction house probably figured out something's up by now. I called Frank on the way here. And I should probably call him to set up a meeting to give him the tape."

"So the Quarrymen are working with HAG," said Matt.

Jaclyn nodded. "At least the guys at the auction house are. It'll make the Quarrymen look like the heroes when they kill the gargoyle who attacked the human."

"If you would like, you can call your FBI contact from here," Xanatos offered.

"Thanks."

"Just one thing," said Elisa. "Why is Frank here while you were in Pennsylvania?"

"That politician I was talking about? He's in New York. Frank had a lead to chase down here. He didn't want to leave me by myself, but I told him I was a big girl."

Matt smiled. "Some things never change. From what I heard when I worked in the bureau, Frank never had many informants, but he always took care of the few he did have."

* * *

"I'm fine," Jaclyn assured Frank when she called him from Xanatos's office. "The gargoyle is safe. I met up with Detectives Maza and Bluestone. Thanks for passing the message on."

"You're welcome," said Frank. "I already called your family to say that you were okay. Were you able to get anything on HAG?"

"Yeah," she replied. "They're planning on staging a gargoyle on human attack. It's why they needed a gargoyle. Having a body would make it stick. I have it all on tape."

"Good. Are you in a safe place?"

"I'm with Detectives Maza and Bluestone right now."

"See if one of them can follow you over to the diner," said Frank. "You know the one, where we first met up."

"I know where you mean, Frank. And I'll be fine. I don't need a babysitter."

"It would just make me feel better," said Frank.

"I'll meet you over there for lunch," Jaclyn promised. She hung up. "Thanks for letting me use your phone."

"Not a problem," said Xanatos. "Thank you for bringing Brooklyn back."

Jaclyn turned to Elisa and Matt. "Do either of you mind giving me a ride to meet up with Frank to give him the tape? Brooklyn's asleep in my truck and I don't think he's willing to wake up while the sun's out," she joked.

"I can give you a ride," said Elisa.

* * *

After getting the tape and a few other things from her truck, Jaclyn rode in the passenger's seat of Elisa's car. Matt had chosen to go home after Elisa said they both didn't need to stay up to take Jaclyn to meet Frank.

"So how are things going with Spencer?" Elisa asked.

Jaclyn squirmed. "He doesn't know about me helping the FBI. I told him that I was having trouble finding work in New York, so I was working Pennsylvania until I could find something closer. I've kept in contact with him, but it's hard keeping the truth from him."

"I'm sure he'll forgive you when you tell him the real reason," said Elisa. She frowned. "You don't think Frank will make you go back there, do you?"

"I'd do it even if I wasn't asked," said Jaclyn. "I could probably come up with a convincing story as to my sudden disappearance, but I don't know how well that would hold."

"Do you have a place to lay low?" asked Elisa.

"Uncle Tony can help with that," said Jaclyn.

"Oh. Right," Elisa said flatly.

Jaclyn smiled. "You forgot he was my uncle, too, didn't you? Brooklyn had a similar reaction when I reminded him."

Elisa was about to say something else when something struck the back of her car causing them to spin out of control.

The car came to an abrupt stop. Elisa was slumped over the steering wheel. Jaclyn leaned back against the seat and moaned. The passenger door was ripped opened and Jaclyn was yanked out of the car and thrown onto the sidewalk. A masked man started searching her pockets. Jaclyn fought back, striking her attacker. She managed to get one hand behind her back and pulled out her gun. The man jumped off of her.

"Police!" Elisa called, her own weapon drawn.

The masked man ran off and a white work van sped away.

Elisa staggered around the other side of her car. She saw Jaclyn laying on the ground with a gun in her hand.

"Jaclyn? Are you okay?"

Jaclyn's head lolled on the sidewalk.

* * *

**And cliffhanger. Yes, I am leaving on a cliffhanger. It seems to be a theme with me recently, first _Quote the Pauper Forevermore_ and now this story. Don't worry, you won't have to wait long for the next update. Until then, leave a review and check out my other stories.**


	4. Chapter 4

**And now for the final chapter of this story. It wasn't supposed to be a very long story from the start. I figured having it roughly the same length as _Common Friend_ was a good idea. It was nice to revisit these characters briefly. Now it's back to full-time focusing on _Harriet Potter and the Four Witches_ and _Quote the Pauper Forevermore_. If all goes well, I'll have both stories close to completion by the new year and then I can start with a clean slate. It has been so long since I had new stories, not updates, new stories, so I'm looking forward to trying new things in the future.**

* * *

Jaclyn woke up horribly sore to bright lights and the smell of disinfectant.

"Jaclyn? Babe?"

She turned her head. Sitting next to her bed was Spencer in his nurse's scrubs.

"Hey, Spence," she whispered.

Spencer got up from the chair and moved to sit on her bed. He took her hand in both of his. "Jaclyn, what were you thinking? Why didn't you tell me what you were doing?"

Jaclyn blinked.

"I told him what happened." Elisa walked into Jaclyn's line of vision. She sported a few cuts and bruises, but otherwise was fine.

"What happened?" Jaclyn asked.

"Someone hit us," Elisa explained. "We were targeted. We believe they were HAG members."

"They were looking for something," Jaclyn muttered, remembering. "The tape."

"I have it," Spencer told her. "The attending nurse found it in your boot."

"That was a good place to hide it," said Elisa.

"I couldn't risk it being taken. Did anyone call Frank? He's probably worried."

"Matt met up with him at the diner while I was getting looked over," Elisa told her.

Jaclyn tried to nod and winced.

"Try not to move," Spencer said. "You hit your head on the window and jarred a few things. Being dragged out of the car didn't help much either."

"What time is it?" Jaclyn asked.

"Almost sundown," Elisa said purposefully. "They'll be here soon."

"Just get some sleep right now, Jaclyn," Spencer encouraged. He stood up. "We'll be back in a little bit."

They left the room, turning the lights off behind them.

"She doesn't trust me," Spencer said.

"She regrets not telling you," said Elisa. "Before we were attacked, she was telling me she was worried about how you would react to the truth."

"Did she think I wouldn't have supported her? That I would try to stop her? Or I wouldn't be able to keep a secret?" Spencer rambled. "They're my friends, too!"

"I know Frank said that only a few people in the FBI knew about her. I think it was a matter keeping someone from leaking it. Jaclyn told me he was originally investigating a New York politician taking bribes from HAG."

"So there might be more to this than we know?"

"There's always that possibility," said Elisa. "But it's not my case, so I can't demand answers."

Spencer sighed. "I'll just have to rely on Jaclyn to know what she's doing. She can take care of herself, but she can bite off more than she can chew. Case in point." He looked at the door.

"She'll be fine," said Elisa.

"I know, but head injuries can be tricky," said Spencer. "That and I'll feel a lot better when the ones who put her here are locked up."

"Maza!" Frank walked up the hallway towards them. "How is she?"

"She'll be fine," Elisa answered.

Frank gave a grunt, looking at Elisa. "What about you?"

"Scrapes and bruises," she replied. "My car took more damage than I did."

"Where's Bluestone?"

"Searching for the people who attacked us," said Elisa.

Frank gave another grunt and nodded. "I'll check on her."

Spencer jumped in front of Frank's path. "No. She's resting."

Frank glared at him. "The people who did this to her are still out there. Do you want them to get away?"

"No, but I don't want her bullied when she's down," Spencer retorted. "She just woke up from a head injury."

"Does she remember what happened?"

"She does."

"All the more reason I need to talk to her now," Frank pressed.

"Okay, enough," said Elisa, stepping between them to diffuse the situation. "How about I go in and see if she's feeling up to talking? If she doesn't, we let her rest. If she does, you can question her."

Neither Frank nor Spencer were happy with the idea, but Spencer allowed Elisa to go back into Jaclyn's room.

Elisa quietly opened the door and closed it behind her.

"Elisa," Goliath's voice came from the shadows.

"Hey, big guy," Elisa greeted quietly.

"I'm awake," Jaclyn murmured, letting them know.

Goliath walked over to Elisa and examined her. "You are hurt."

"It's not that bad," Elisa told him with a smile. "My car on the other hand, that's a different story. Jaclyn, Frank is here. He wants to talk to you about what happened."

"Okay," said Jaclyn.

"Are you sure you're up to it?" asked Elisa.

"Yeah, I'll be fine," Jaclyn assured.

"I will be close by," said Goliath. He slipped out the window and Elisa got Frank.

A moment later, Frank came in.

"Kid," he muttered when he saw her. "I am so sorry."

"I'll live, Frank," said Jaclyn.

"That doesn't make me feel any better. Did you get a few good licks in?"

"Didn't have the chance."

"They didn't get the tape, did they?"

"No. It's-."

"Don't tell me," he said. "Right now I don't want to know where it is."

He sat down and the two of them looked at each other for a moment.

"I think you should lay low when you get out of here," said Frank. "Do you have somewhere you can go to disappear for a while?"

"I have an uncle who would be willing to help," said Jaclyn.

"Good, good," Frank said absently. "I never meant for you to get hurt during this."

"We both knew there was the possibility," said Jaclyn.

Frank sighed. "There's a lead I need to run down. Once I check it out, I'll come back for the tape. It's safe, isn't it?"

"Yes. After all I've been through, you bet it's safe," said Jaclyn. "That tape's the best evidence we could get on them."

Frank stood up. "I'll be back for the tape after I run down this lead. You get some rest." He left the room.

Jaclyn turned to the window. "Goliath," she said urgently. She saw him appear in the window. "Follow him, please. I think he's about to get himself into trouble."

"Brooklyn and Broadway have orders to follow him," he told her.

Jaclyn nodded and settled back down to sleep.

* * *

Brooklyn and Broadway watched from the hospital's roof as Frank got into his car.

"Ready?" asked Brooklyn.

"Yeah," Broadway replied.

Frank left the hospital's parking lot and the two gargoyles glided after him.

* * *

Frank pulled up to an abandoned movie theater. Someone had called in a tip that there was a white work van with front end damage parked behind the movie theater. He got out of his car and made his way around to the back, his gun in hand.

"I knew you would come here."

Frank spun around with his gun raised. Matt was standing with his hands raised.

"Bluestone, that's a good way to get shot!" hissed Frank. "What are you doing here?"

"Did you really think I would let you run this lead down by yourself? That was my partner they hit. And if you think I'm letting you go in there without any backup, you better think again."

"I don't want you getting caught up in this," said Frank.

"This is what almost got you kicked out of the FBI in the past!" Matt snapped. "You think you have to do everything by yourself, especially if something happens to someone you care about. And if you haven't noticed, I care about Jaclyn, too."

"Fine," Frank conceded. "But where's your backup?"

"Don't worry, they'll be here," said Matt. "In the meantime, let's see if this lead is any good."

Behind the theater, they found the white work van with the front end damaged. Upon closer inspection, they found red paint the same shade as Elisa's car. The rear entrance had its lock broken and it was obvious someone had been there recently.

Frank put his hand on the door handle.

"Wait!" Matt said. "We can't go in there without probable cause."

"The van is there, the lock is broken," Frank said irritable. "What more do you want, an engraved invitation?"

A woman's scream came from inside.

"Woman in distress," said Frank, opening the door.

Matt followed him, drawing his own gun.

The interior of the theater was worse than the exterior. In the hallway they entered was littered with pieces of ceiling on its rotting carpet. The walls had holes in them which was why they heard someone screaming from outside. It also allowed light to filter into the hallway. Peering through a hole, Frank could see into the theater itself.

"Great," they heard a male voice say. "Now a pained scream."

The woman screamed again, sounding like she was being torn apart.

"Perfect. Just remember to do that and it'll all go as planned."

Matt found a hole to look in and saw three people at the front of the theater. They were standing around a foldable table with several camping lights around them to light the room. There were several items on the table, but Matt couldn't make out what they were.

"Not as planned as it would have been if we still had the gargoyle," said a second male voice angrily. "I knew it was a bad idea to hand it over to those guys."

"Doesn't matter now," said the first. "I got what I needed. I'll finish up the costume and then we can move on to the attack. Think you two can handle that?"

"Yes," said two voices, one being the second man and the other being female.

Brooklyn and Broadway had snuck into the theater through the holes in the roof. They were looked at the three humans from the loft area above the projection room.

"I recognize her," Brooklyn growled quietly.

"Do you?" Broadway asked.

"She was the one who pepper sprayed me," he told Broadway.

"Hopefully the Quarrymen will still go along with this without the gargoyle," said the first man.

Frank turned to Matt. "Only three of them. We can take them."

They quietly moved through the hallway around to the theater doors.

"FBI!"

The three people whirled around to the rear of the theater. Frank was walking down the aisle with his gun pointed at them. Matt was walking down another aisle with his gun trained on them as well.

"Hands where I can see them," ordered Frank.

The three held up their hands. A moment later, they lowered them with wicked smiles on their faces.

"Look behind you," said one of the men. He pointed behind them and upwards.

Matt looked up at the projection booth and saw the glint of a gun. A second later there was a roar followed by crashing. Everyone's attention turned to the projection booth. Someone screamed from inside and then everything was quiet.

One of the men, the bolder of the two, used the commotion to tackle Frank to the ground and knock him out. He then grabbed his gun and turned it to Matt, preparing to shoot him.

Broadway swooped down from the ceiling and snatched the gun from the man's hand. He picked the man up by the front of his shirt. "You shouldn't take things that don't belong to you," he said, tossing Frank's gun aside. Broadway hit him on the head, knocking him unconscious.

The second man made a run for it and ended up running into Matt. Matt wrestled him to the ground.

The woman stood there and screamed like she was being murdered. There was a loud thump behind her. Turning around, she saw Brooklyn and his glowing white eyes.

"Remember me?" he asked.

The woman fainted.

"Huh. Not so brave without your pepper spray, are you?" said Brooklyn.

When Frank came to, one of the men was cuffed and sprawled on across the seats, unconscious. The second was also cuffed but was fighting with Matt to get free. The woman was lying in a heap on the floor.

"What happened?" Frank asked Matt.

"You saw them!" the man Matt was struggling with yelled. "You saw them! They're dangerous! They must all be killed!"

"Let's go, buddy," Matt said, giving the guy a shove in the direction of the doors.

Frank watched, confused. What had he missed while he was unconscious?

* * *

In the morning, Jaclyn was sitting up in hospital bed with Spencer sitting next to her. There was knock on the door.

"Come in," called Jaclyn.

Frank walked in. "We got them. There was four of them. They were staging a gargoyle on human attack."

"And we have the tape to prove it," Jaclyn said, looking at Spencer.

Spencer took the tape out of his pocket.

"Thank you," Frank told them. He tucked the tape into his pocket. "With any luck, the tape and their confessions is all we're going to need."

"Confessions?" asked Jaclyn.

"They sang like canaries all night," Frank said. "They all kept raving about how gargoyles would get them if they didn't get to them first. Bluestone did a good job after the one sucker punched me. The kid managed to take down all three of them by himself. I must be getting too old."

Jaclyn and Spencer exchanged knowing smirks.

"Anyway, this brings me one step closer to getting that corrupt politician," Frank went on.

"Do we still need to lay low?" asked Jaclyn.

"It would be a good idea until this blows over," Frank said. "But that's up to you. Get well soon, Jaclyn."

"Bye, Frank," she said.

After Frank left, Spencer turned to her and asked, "So what did you have in mind?"

* * *

Elisa walked into the precinct a week after the news broke about HAG working with the Quarrymen and bribing a politician. Sitting on her desk was an envelope with her name on it and no return address. She carefully opened it and a set of photo booth pictures fell out. Each picture was of a couple striking an over the top pose while wearing thick glasses with the fake noses attached. The woman was blonde with her hair cut short and the man was wearing a colorful shirt and a Miami Dolphins ball cap.

Elisa frowned, not knowing why anyone would send her this, and then she noticed the familiar bracelet on the woman's wrist. She laughed. "Glad to know you're okay, you two."

She put the pictures back in the envelope and tucked it in her jacket to show the gargoyles later. They would be happy to know that Jaclyn and Spencer were okay.

* * *

**Thank you so much for reading this story. I really hope you enjoyed it. Feel free to leave a review and check out some of my other stories.**


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